Politics

US mining sites dump 50M gallons of fouled wastewater daily

Published

8 years ago

February 20, 2019

RIMINI, Mont. (AP) — Every day many millions of gallons of water loaded with arsenic, lead and other toxic metals flow from some of the most contaminated mining sites in the U.S. and into surrounding streams and ponds without being treated, The Associated Press has found.

That torrent is poisoning aquatic life and tainting drinking water sources in Montana, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and at least five other states.

The pollution is a legacy of how the mining industry was allowed to operate in the U.S. for more than a century. Companies that built mines for silver, lead, gold and other “hardrock” minerals could move on once they were no longer profitable, leaving behind tainted water that still leaks out of the mines or is cleaned up at taxpayer expense.

Using data from public records requests and independent researchers, the AP examined 43 mining sites under federal oversight, some containing dozens or even hundreds of individual mines.

AP Graphic/Phil Holm

The records show that at average flows, more than 50 million gallons (189 million liters) of contaminated wastewater streams daily from the sites. In many cases, it runs untreated into nearby groundwater, rivers and ponds — a roughly 20-million-gallon (76-million-liter) daily dose of pollution that could fill more than 2,000 tanker trucks.

The remainder of the waste is captured or treated in a costly effort that will need to carry on indefinitely, for perhaps thousands of years, often with little hope for reimbursement.

The volumes vastly exceed the release from Colorado’s Gold King Mine disaster in 2015, when a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleanup crew inadvertently triggered the release of 3 million gallons (11.4 million liters) of mustard-colored mine sludge, fouling rivers in three states.

At many mines, the pollution has continued decades after their enlistment in the federal Superfund cleanup program for the nation’s most hazardous sites, which faces sharp cuts under President Donald Trump.

Federal officials fear that at least six of the sites examined by AP could have blowouts like the one at Gold King.

Some sites feature massive piles or impoundments of mine waste known as tailings. A tailings dam collapse in Brazil last month killed at least 169 people and left 140 missing. A similar 2014 accident in British Columbia swept millions of cubic yards of contaminated mud into a nearby lake, resulting in one of Canada’s worst environmental disasters.

But even short of a calamitous accident, many mines pose the chronic problem of relentless pollution.

TAINTED WELLS

In mountains outside the Montana capital of Helena, about 30 households can’t drink their tap water because groundwater was polluted by about 150 abandoned gold, lead and copper mines that operated from the 1870s until 1953.

The community of Rimini was added to the Superfund list in 1999. Contaminated soil in residents’ yards was replaced, and the EPA has provided bottled water for a decade. But polluted water still pours from the mines and into Upper Tenmile Creek.

“The fact that bottled water is provided is great,” said 30-year Rimini resident Catherine Maynard, a natural resources analyst for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Where it falls short is it’s not piped into our home. Water that’s piped into our home is still contaminated water. Washing dishes and bathing — that metal-laden water is still running through our pipes.”

Estimates of the number of such abandoned mine sites range from 161,000 in 12 western states to as many as 500,000 nationwide. At least 33,000 have degraded the environment, according to the Government Accountability Office, and thousands more are discovered every year.

Officials have yet to complete work including basic risk analyses on about 80 percent of abandoned mining sites on federal lands. Most are controlled by the Bureau of Land Management, which under Trump is seeking to consolidate mine cleanups with another program and cut their combined 2019 spending from $35 million to $13 million.

The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, takes a water sample from the Animas River near Durango, Colo. on Aug. 6, 2015. (Jerry McBride/The Durango Herald via AP, File)

PERPETUAL POLLUTION

Problems at some sites are intractable.

Among them:

— In eastern Oklahoma’s Tar Creek mining district, waterways are devoid of life and elevated lead levels persist in the blood of children despite a two-decade effort to clean up lead and zinc mines. More than $300 million has been committed since 1983, but only a small fraction of the impacted land has been reclaimed and contaminated water continues to flow.

— At northern California’s Iron Mountain Mine, cleanup teams battle to contain highly acidic water that percolates through a former copper and zinc mine and drains into a Sacramento River tributary. The mine discharged six tons of toxic sludge daily before an EPA cleanup. Authorities now spend $5 million a year to remove poisonous sludge that had caused massive fish kills, and they expect to keep at it forever.

AP Graphic/Phil Holm

— In Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, site of the Gold King blowout, some 400 abandoned or inactive mine sites contribute an estimated 15 million gallons (57 million liters) of acid mine drainage per day.

This landscape of polluted sites occurred under mining industry rules largely unchanged since the 1872 Mining Act.

State and federal laws in recent decades have held companies more accountable than in the past, but critics say huge loopholes all but ensure that some of today’s mines will foul waterways or require perpetual cleanups.

To avoid a catastrophe like Gold King, EPA officials now require advance approval for work on many mining sites. But they acknowledge they’re only dealing with a small portion of the problem.

“We have been trying to play a very careful game of prioritization,” said Dana Stalcup, deputy director of the Superfund program. “We know the Superfund program is not the answer to the hundreds of thousands of mines out there, but the mines we are working on we want to do them the best we can.”

The 43 sites examined by AP are ones where officials and researchers have reliable estimates of polluted water releases. Officials say flow rates vary, and the AP used low flow data for several sites where average flows were not available.

QUESTIONS OVER WHO SHOULD PAY

To date, the EPA has spent an estimated $4 billion on mining cleanups. Under Trump, the agency has identified a small number of Superfund sites for heightened attention after cleanup efforts stalled or dragged on for years. They include five mining sites examined by AP.

Former EPA assistant administrator Mathy Stanislaus said more money is needed to address mining pollution on a systematic basis, rather than jumping from one emergency response to another.

“The piecemeal approach is just not working,” said Stanislaus, who oversaw the Superfund program for almost eight years ending in 2017.

Democrats have sought unsuccessfully to create a special cleanup fund for old hardrock mine sites, with fees paid by the mining industry. Such a fund has been in place for coal mines since 1977, with more than $11 billion in fees collected and hundreds of sites reclaimed.

The mining industry has resisted doing the same for hardrock mines, and Republicans in Congress have blocked the Democratic proposals.

Montana Mining Association director Tammy Johnson acknowledged abandoned mines have left a legacy of pollution, but added that companies still in operation should not be forced to pay for those problems.

“Back in the day there really wasn’t a lot known about acid mine drainage,” she said. “I just don’t think that today’s companies bear the responsibility.”

In 2017, the EPA proposed requiring companies still operating mines to post cleanup bonds or offer other financial assurances so taxpayers don’t end up footing cleanup bills. The Trump administration halted the rule, but environmental groups are scheduled to appear in federal court next month in a lawsuit that seeks to revive it.

“When something gets on a Superfund site, that doesn’t mean it instantly and magically gets cleaned up,” said Earthjustice attorney Amanda Goodin. “Having money immediately available from a responsible party would be a game changer.”

Central Florida News

Florida Puerto Rican Lawmakers’ First-Term Impact: FNN Audit Reviews Bills Becoming Law, 1999–2026

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2026

FNN NEWS

Former Florida Reps. Bob Cortes, David Santiago and Daisy Morales, from left, are featured in FNN’s comparison of first-term legislative outcomes among 14 House lawmakers of Puerto Rican descent. Composite graphic by Florida National News

A review of 14 Florida House members of Puerto Rican descent examines sponsored bills that became law and policies reflected in other enacted legislation, documenting their early legislative results.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Voters across Florida cast ballots in the Nov. 3 general election to elect candidates of their choice. Against that backdrop, Florida National News examined the first-term legislative records of 14 Florida House lawmakers of Puerto Rican descent, reviewing legislative sessions from 1999 through 2026.

The audit focuses on bills they sponsored that became law and proposals whose policies were reflected in other enacted legislation, providing readers with a documented comparison of their early legislative results.

See Aduit

Former Republican Reps. Bob Cortes and David Santiago lead the reviewed group in combined legislative outcomes. Former Democratic Rep. Daisy Morales leads the Democratic members included in the report.

Cortes recorded six sponsored House bills that became law under their own numbers, the highest direct-enactment total in the reviewed group. He also had six additional proposals with policies reflected in other enacted legislation.

Santiago recorded five direct enactments and seven policy-overlap outcomes. Each Republican had 12 combined outcomes.

Morales recorded two direct enactments and three additional policy-overlap outcomes during the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions, giving her five combined outcomes.

The FNN audit distinguishes those categories rather than treating every identified outcome as a separate law personally authored by a legislator.

Legislative Results With Statewide Reach

The measures examined extend beyond the lawmakers’ individual districts, addressing education, public safety, professional licensing, military families and other statewide issues.

Cortes’ direct enactments included HB 837 in 2016, jointly sponsored with Michael Bileca. The legislation addressed education programs for individuals with disabilities, including transition-to-work opportunities for qualifying students. It became Chapter 2016-137.

Susan Plasencia’s first-term record included HB 1275 in 2023, which authorized local law enforcement agencies to establish registries containing information about participating people with disabilities. The measure became Chapter 2023-312.

Morales’ direct enactments included HB 855 in 2021, addressing barber services, and HB 45 in 2022, providing tuition and fee assistance for qualifying disabled veterans.

HB 45, sponsored with Christopher Benjamin, passed the House 115-0 and the Senate 38-0. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it June 9, 2022, and it became Chapter 2022-187. The unanimous votes illustrate the bipartisan support secured for that measure.

The audit also identifies policies in Morales’ proposals concerning telephone solicitation restrictions, property tax exemptions and a Down Syndrome Awareness specialty license plate that were reflected in other enacted bills.

First-Term Outcomes Across the Reviewed Group

Lawmaker	Party	Sessions reviewed	Direct enactments	Policy-overlap outcomes	Combined
Bob Cortes	R	2015–2016	6	6	12
David Santiago	R	2013–2014	5	7	12
Susan Plasencia	R	2023–2024	5	3	8
John Quiñones	R	2003–2004	2	6	8
René Plasencia	R	2015–2016	4	3	7
Yvette Benarroch	R	2025–2026	3	2	5
Daisy Morales	D	2021–2022	2	3	5
Robert Asencio	D	2017–2018	1	1	2
Amy Mercado	D	2017–2018	0	2	2
Anthony Suárez*	D	1999–2000	1	0	1
Johanna López	D	2023–2024	1	0	1
Victor Torres	D	2013–2014	0	1	1
John Cortes	D	2015–2016	0	0	0
Darren Soto*	D	2007–2008	0	0	0

Source: FNN audit. Soto and Suárez served partial initial terms. Zero means no qualifying outcome was identified under the audit’s method; it does not establish that a lawmaker made no legislative contribution.

Why the Audit Matters

The audit gives readers a way to examine legislative accomplishments beyond campaign descriptions and broad claims about bills “passed.”

It separates primary and joint sponsorship from ordinary co-sponsorship and distinguishes bills enacted under their own numbers from proposals whose policies appear in other laws.

Those distinctions matter because a House bill can die while some of its provisions survive in another legislative vehicle. Conversely, a related-bill listing does not establish that a proposal’s specific provisions became law.

The report also documents the scope of the identified outcomes. A narrow licensing change and a broad education measure each can count as one outcome, although their reach and consequences differ.

For readers examining Puerto Rican representation in Florida government, the findings provide a record of specific legislative activity. The measures’ beneficiaries extend across ethnic backgrounds and communities.

Why Focus on the First Term?

The first term provides a defined period for examining what lawmakers accomplished when they entered the House, before accumulating multiple terms of legislative experience.

Comparing initial terms also prevents a long-serving member’s career total from being measured directly against the record of someone who served only one term.

Some lawmakers lose reelection, retire, seek another office or pursue other careers. Their first term may therefore represent their entire House tenure. That makes early legislative results worth documenting.

The comparison still has limits. Members entering through special elections have less time than those beginning full two-year terms. Party control, committee assignments and legislative priorities also can affect opportunities to advance bills.

Soto’s Initial Service Is Counted Separately

Darren Soto won a special election April 24, 2007, and was sworn into office the following day. His initial House service belongs in the 2007–2008 window. His reelection in November 2008 began the full term covering the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions.

The audit identifies no qualifying direct enactment or policy-overlap outcome for his initial regular-session window. It lists four outcomes from 2009–2010 separately as later-term context.

That distinction preserves the report’s focus on initial service rather than later accomplishments.

Anthony Nieves and the 2027 Legislative Session

Anthony Nieves represents the next chapter of Puerto Rican representation examined in FNN’s coverage.

Nieves defeated Jorge Figueroa in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary for House District 47. He subsequently won the seat without appearing on the November ballot after the general election contest was canceled, according to Ballotpedia.

His first regular legislative session will be in 2027, when he will have the opportunity to sponsor legislation and establish a first-term record.

Nieves is discussed separately from the audit’s 14-member outcome comparison because the 2027 and 2028 regular sessions fall outside its 1999–2026 review period. His absence from the rankings is a timing distinction, not a finding of legislative failure.

A future comparison can evaluate his sponsored bills, direct enactments and policies reflected in other enacted legislation during those sessions. Assigning him a zero alongside lawmakers whose initial legislative sessions have concluded would misrepresent his opportunity to produce results.

What the Findings Establish

The audit compares 14 identified lawmakers. It is not an exhaustive ancestry census or a definitive ranking of every Puerto Rican lawmaker in Florida history.

Ordinary co-sponsorships, resolutions and appropriations requests are excluded. Combined outcomes count qualifying source proposals, not necessarily distinct laws. Jointly sponsored bills can appear in more than one member’s record.

The report measures identified legislative outcomes rather than overall effectiveness, constituent service or the relative public benefit of each measure.

FNN’s Corrections and Updates Policy

Florida National News welcomes factual information identifying a lawmaker incorrectly included in or excluded from the audit, an inaccurate service period, a sponsorship error or an overlooked legislative outcome.

Submissions should identify the lawmaker, legislative session, bill number, sponsorship role and official supporting records. For proposals reflected in another enacted bill, documentation should identify the resulting bill, chapter law and relevant provisions.

FNN will review the information and make necessary corrections to the roster, bill records, session dates, outcome counts and rankings when supported by the evidence. Corrections will be reflected in the audit’s revision history.

Hashtags:
#FloridaNationalNews #FNN #FloridaPolitics #PuertoRicanLawmakers #FloridaHouse #LegislativeAudit #FirstTermLawmakers #GovernmentAccountability #PuertoRicanHeritage #PoliticsAndPower

Florida

Sam Garrison Proposes Florida House Committees on Technology, Public Integrity and Long-Term Policy

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2026

FNN NEWS

The speaker-designate’s proposed structure would create a Policy & Strategy Committee, elevate technology oversight and reestablish a committee focused on ethics and public corruption.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Florida House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison outlined proposed changes to the chamber’s committee structure Thursday, calling for greater attention to long-term policy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and public integrity during the 2026-28 legislative term.

In a Nov. 5 memorandum to House members provided to Florida National News, Garrison said the proposal preserves most of the existing structure while making changes intended to improve coordination and examine the lasting consequences of legislative decisions.

“I am committed to making committee time meaningful,” Garrison wrote. “I want you to dig into ideas, hear from the public, and truly study your colleagues’ bills because behind every bill, every policy, and every budget item are people — our people.”

New Committee Would Examine Long-Term Policy and Costs

Garrison proposed creating a Policy & Strategy Committee to coordinate major initiatives involving multiple committees or state agencies.

The committee would draw on the expertise of subject-matter committees to examine how major reforms would operate and what they would cost. Its proposed jurisdiction includes long-range planning and fiscal stability, and it could consider legislation with a fiscal impact.

Garrison said the committee would provide a forum for considering challenges that extend beyond an individual legislative session or term.

“I want the House to consider where Florida needs to be in five or 10 or 20 years and what steps we should take now to get there,” he wrote.

Technology Oversight Would Become a Full Committee

The proposed Advanced Technology & Digital Security Committee would replace the previous term’s Information Technology Budget & Policy Subcommittee.

The full committee would focus on state technology governance and modernization, including agencies’ ability to implement legislation. Its responsibilities would also include:

Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Cybersecurity and digital privacy.
Data governance.
Critical infrastructure security.

Garrison distinguished the committee’s policy and oversight responsibilities from spending decisions. The Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees would continue to consider technology funding.

“These issues affect both state government and the Floridians and businesses that rely on technology every day,” Garrison wrote.

He said the goal is to make informed technology decisions that prevent costly failures.

Public Integrity Committee Would Return

Garrison also proposed reestablishing the Public Integrity Committee, emphasizing ethics, integrity and investigations into public corruption.

The committee would consider related matters involving lobbying, financial disclosure and conflicts of interest.

“Floridians should be able to trust their government to act in the public interest,” Garrison wrote. “A dedicated committee will allow Members to examine the laws and standards that protect that trust.”

The Rules & Calendar Committee would retain responsibility for House rules, floor procedures and member conduct, according to the memorandum.

Most of the Existing Structure Would Remain

Garrison said most of the current committee structure would remain intact. Other changes would update committee names and bring related issues under shared jurisdictions.

The proposed adjustments are intended to help lawmakers examine connections among state policy, local decisions and their effects on residents.

The memorandum referred members to attached documents detailing the proposed structure and jurisdictions. It did not identify committee chairs or member assignments.

Public Input and Legislative Review Emphasized

Garrison urged members to use committee meetings to hear from the public, examine their colleagues’ proposals and consider the people affected by legislation and spending decisions.

“Our committee process should give you the opportunity to contribute and every proposal the careful consideration it deserves,” he wrote. “I look forward to working with you over the next two years.”

Florida

DeSantis’ Political Star Rises as Florida GOP Holds Statewide Offices Amid National Defeats

Published

3 days ago

November 5, 2026

FNN NEWS

Republicans retain Florida’s statewide leadership despite Democratic gains in the Legislature, giving the outgoing governor a platform in the debate over the GOP’s future.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to Florida’s Republican victories Wednesday as evidence that his governing approach helped withstand a national Democratic surge, highlighting the state as a remaining Republican stronghold after major defeats elsewhere.

Speaking a day after the election, DeSantis described the national Republican losses as approaching an “extinction-level event.” He contrasted those setbacks with Florida, where Republicans retained the governor’s office, all three Cabinet offices and the U.S. Senate seat on the ballot. abcnews.com

The results give DeSantis a platform to promote his record as Republicans assess their future. However, narrower statewide margins and Democratic legislative gains complicate any claim of an unqualified Republican mandate.

Florida Holds Statewide Republican Leadership

Republican Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly for governor, while U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody defeated Democratic challenger Angie Nixon. Republicans also won the races for attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.

The sweep left Florida Democrats without a statewide victory despite a more favorable national environment for their party. floridaphoenix.com

DeSantis, who was not on the ballot, argued that Florida Republicans benefited from the record established during his administration. His assessment places the state’s performance at the center of a broader question: What can Republicans learn from the places where they retained power?

DeSantis’ Political Star Gains Visibility

DeSantis’ remarks offered a defense of his governing approach as Republicans confronted the election’s consequences.

He credited Florida’s resilience to policy achievements and voter trust, while emphasizing that his immediate focus remained completing his term. wusf.org

Florida’s results strengthen his opportunity to participate in the national leadership debate. They do not, by themselves, establish that Republican voters have chosen him to lead the party or that he will launch another presidential campaign.

The distinction matters: Electoral success in Florida provides a political argument, while a national campaign would require support extending well beyond the state.

Texas Defeats Increase Florida’s Importance

DeSantis singled out Texas as a particularly consequential Republican setback. Once a dependable foundation of GOP strength, Texas delivered Democratic victories in the governor’s race, a U.S. Senate contest and other statewide offices.

He warned that those losses could weaken Republicans nationally for years. www.orlandoweekly.com

Against that backdrop, Florida’s Republican sweep gives its leaders greater prominence. The state’s emerging role as a Republican “Southern Star” is an interpretation of that contrast, rather than a designation DeSantis used.

For the outgoing governor, Florida offers evidence of political durability during a difficult election. For the national party, it offers a case to examine alongside the states where Republican support collapsed.

DeSantis Credits Amendment 3 With Turnout

DeSantis also credited voter-approved Amendment 3, the property tax measure, with attracting voters who subsequently supported Republican candidates.

He said implementation would require further legislative action and discussed protecting homeowners’ savings from being offset by other local charges. cbs12.com

His explanation remains an assessment of the election. Determining how much the amendment affected turnout and individual races would require additional analysis.

Democratic Legislative Gains Temper GOP Celebration

Florida’s statewide sweep did not prevent Republican losses elsewhere on the ballot.

Democrats gained seats in the Legislature and ended the Republican supermajority in the state House. Their leaders argued that the close statewide contests demonstrated Florida remained competitive and warranted greater national investment. floridaphoenix.com

Republicans therefore emerged with continued governing authority but less room for complacency. Retaining statewide offices and losing legislative ground are both part of the election’s outcome.

2018 Offers Democrats a Benchmark

Florida Democrats’ 2018 results provide a historical comparison between narrowly losing a statewide contest and winning governing authority.

Republican Ron DeSantis won the governor’s race with 4,076,186 votes, or 49.6%, while Democrat Andrew Gillum received 4,043,723 votes, or 49.2%. DeSantis prevailed by 32,463 votes, approximately 0.4 percentage points. results.elections.myflorida.com

In the agriculture commissioner’s race, Democrat Nikki Fried won 4,032,954 votes, or 50.04%, defeating Republican Matt Caldwell, who received 4,026,201 votes, or 49.96%. Fried’s winning margin was 6,753 votes, approximately 0.08 percentage points. uselectionatlas.org

2018 statewide race	Candidate	Party	Votes	Percentage
Governor	Ron DeSantis — winner	Republican	4,076,186	49.6%
Governor	Andrew Gillum	Democratic	4,043,723	49.2%
Agriculture commissioner	Nikki Fried — winner	Democratic	4,032,954	50.04%
Agriculture commissioner	Matt Caldwell	Republican	4,026,201	49.96%

Table lists the two leading candidates in each race. Governor’s percentages include votes cast for other candidates. results.elections.myflorida.com

Those results give substance to the discussion about investment and competitiveness. Campaign funding can support organization and outreach, but these election totals alone do not establish how much national spending influenced either outcome.

Gillum nearly captured the governor’s office; Fried secured a statewide Cabinet seat. That difference remains central to evaluating political progress: Smaller losing margins can indicate opportunity, while victories determine who exercises authority.

A Stronger Platform, With Challenges Ahead

Florida’s results give DeSantis a stronger position from which to argue that his approach deserves attention within the Republican Party.

Yet the election also supplied a warning for his party at home. Republicans preserved statewide leadership while Democrats demonstrated greater strength in legislative contests.

As Donalds prepares to succeed him, DeSantis leaves with Florida’s Republican governing structure intact. Whether that record becomes the foundation for a larger national role will depend on how Republican voters and leaders respond to the party’s defeats.